GCFD TAKE OVER!!!

We had so much fun dressing up and bringing the CHIditarod party to the first ever GCFD Take Over! Our crew of 80 volunteers brought in 4,555 lbs of donated food and helped pack 959 emergency food boxes going out to alleviate food insecurity in Chicago. Normally GCFD comes to the start of our race to collect donations from all teams, it felt good to keep the tradition going for our 2021 Pandemic Edition.

From: Greater Chicago Food Depository
Date: Sat, Mar 6, 2021
Re: Your Impact

Your support helps us provide food and peace of mind for individuals and families throughout Cook County. Today, you helped us make an immediate impact in your community.

During this morning’s repack, you helped prepare:

• 959 emergency food boxes
• 3,750 pounds of pasta
• 4,704 pounds of bread
• 4,466 pounds of apples
• 28,264 pounds of food
• 23,553 meals (332 meals per volunteer!)
• Donated 4,555 pounds of food

The food that volunteers like you pack here at the Food Depository benefits hundreds of food assistance programs across Cook County, including the Northwestern Settlement food pantry in West Town. Before COVID-19, the pantry used to serve about 60 households each week. Now, they are open three days a week in order to serve 150 families per day.

It’s been an ongoing challenge to keep up with the rising demand. And with the cold weather coming, the next hurdle will be if and how they should continue serving outdoors. Despite the stresses, supporting the community – especially during this rising time of need – “means the world” to Yasmin Rodriguez.

“We can’t fix everything, but at least to be able to take a little bit of that stress and anxiety away about food so they can focus on job readiness or paying their rent,” said Rodriguez, Northwestern Settlement’s director of family and emergency services. “If this is providing an ability to save $30 to go toward something else, that’s amazing.”

Thank you again for serving today. Together we can take hunger off the table. Together we are Greater!